Chevy 500

The Chevy 500 was an IndyCar Series race held at Texas Motor Speedway near Fort Worth, Texas. The race was held on a Sunday afternoon in September, from 1998 until 2004. When it debuted in 1998, it was the first IndyCar race to have two races in Texas since 1979.

Chevy 500

IndyCar Series
Venue	Texas Motor Speedway
Corporate sponsor	Chevy
First race	1998
Last race	2004
Distance	482 km (299.50 mi)
Laps	200
Previous names	Lone Star 500 (1998) Mall.com 500 (1999) Excite 500 (2000) Chevy 500 (2001–2004)
Most wins (driver)	Sam Hornish Jr. (2)
Most wins (team)	Panther Racing (3)
Most wins (manufacturer)	Chassis: Dallara (6) Engine: Oldsmobile (4)

History

The first Championship/Indy car races in the Dallas/Fort Worth area took place at Arlington Downs Raceway in nearby Arlington, Texas. AAA sanctioned five races from 1947–1950. USAC sanctioned ten Championship car events at Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas. The race was discontinued when the track closed in 1981.

Following the success of their spring race in 1997, Indycar added a second 500 km IndyCar Series race was held at the track in the fall of 1998. Known commonly as "Texas 2," the race was always held during the day compared to the summer race which was held at night. It served as the IndyCar Series' season finale for each of its races held here. The fall race was discontinued after 2004 when the Ferko lawsuit forced NASCAR to eliminate the Grand Slam and give the Texas Motor Speedway a deserved second Nextel Cup race.

In 2003, Gil de Ferran was leading on lap 187 when Kenny Bräck crashed on the backstretch. The massive accident seriously injured Bräck, and he raced only limitedly afterwards. With the race winding down under caution, and with cleanup still ongoing, officials stopped the race after 195 laps when it was clear they would not have time to go back to green. de Ferran was declared the winner in what was his final race in IndyCar (he had announced his retirement during the season).

Race length

When it was first used in 1998, the one-lap distance was measured as 1.5 miles (2.4 km). IndyCar Series races were originally 208 laps (312 mi/500 km) long. In 2001, timing and scoring officials revised the measurement as 1.455 miles (2.342 km), and the races were changed to an even 200 laps (291 mi/468.319 km).

Summer race

Main article: Genesys 600

Since 1997, IndyCar had a summer race. Unlike the fall race which was a day race, the race was held under the lights.

Champ Car race

Main article: Firestone Firehawk 600

The CART Champ Car series scheduled a race at the track for April 29, 2001. Following practice and qualifying, however, the race was cancelled "due to irresolvable concerns over the physical demands placed on the drivers at race speeds." All but four drivers reported they had experienced vertigo-like symptoms due to lateral g-forces from driving in excess of 230 mph (370 km/h) on the steep 24 degree banks.

The Dayton Indy Lights race was completed with two cautions.

Past winners

USAC Championship car history (College Station)

See Texas World Speedway

Season	Date	Race Name	Driver	Team	Chassis	Engine	Race Distance		Race Time	Average Speed (mph)
							Laps	Miles (km)
1973	October 6	Texas 200	Gary Bettenhausen	Team Penske	McLaren	Offy	100	200 (321.868)	1:05:58	181.91
1974 - 1975	Not held
1976	October 31	Benihana World Series of Auto Racing	Johnny Rutherford	Team McLaren	McLaren	Offenhauser	100	200 (321.868)	1:19:50	150.315
1977	July 31	American Parts 200	Johnny Rutherford	Team McLaren	McLaren	Cosworth	100	200 (321.868)	1:13:05	164.191
1978	August 6	Texas Grand Prix	A. J. Foyt	Gilmore Racing	Coyote	Foyt	100	200 (321.868)	1:15:27	159.06
1979	July 29	Lubrilon Grand Prix	A. J. Foyt	Gilmore Racing	Parnelli	Cosworth	100	200 (321.868)	1:13:39	162.934
1980	Race cancelled

IndyCar Series history (Fort Worth)

Season	Date	Driver	Team	Chassis	Engine	Race Distance		Race Time	Average Speed (mph)	Report
						Laps	Miles (km)
1998	September 20	John Paul Jr.	Byrd/Cunningham Racing	G-Force	Oldsmobile	208	312 (502.115)	2:21:53	131.931	Report
1999	October 17	Mark Dismore	Kelley Racing	Dallara	Oldsmobile	208	312 (502.115)	2:14:16	135.246	Report
2000	October 15	Scott Goodyear	Panther Racing	Dallara	Oldsmobile	208	312 (502.115)	1:43:36	175.276	Report
2001	October 6*	Sam Hornish Jr.	Panther Racing	Dallara	Oldsmobile	200	300 (482.803)	1:43:36	168.523	Report
2002	September 15	Sam Hornish Jr.	Panther Racing	Dallara	Chevrolet	200	300 (482.803)	1:46:29	163.981	Report
2003	October 13	Gil de Ferran	Team Penske	Dallara	Toyota	195*	292.5 (470.733)	1:48:56	156.268	Report
2004	October 17	Hélio Castroneves	Team Penske	Dallara	Toyota	200	300 (482.803)	1:49:32	159.397	Report

• 2001: Race postponed from September 16 to October 6 due to the September 11 attacks.
• 2003: Race shortened due to crash involving Kenny Bräck.

External links

• IndyCar.com
• Champ Car Stats
• IndyCar Results Page